Public defender candidate demands inquiry

Allegations spark inquiries on Finkelstein

A candidate for Broward County public defender wants a criminal investigation into incumbent Howard Finkelstein, accusing him of threatening employees who don't support his re-election.

Finkelstein denies Democratic challenger Alex Arreaza's allegations, saying he has worked hard to keep politics out of the public defender's office.

Arreaza said he sent letters last week demanding inquiries into Finkelstein by the Broward State Attorney's Office, the Florida Ethics Commission, the state Attorney General's Office and the state Division of Elections.

Arreaza alleges Finkelstein told employees that if they support anyone else for public defender, he would consider them disloyal. Arreaza also accuses Finkelstein of misusing office resources and staff to help research his "Help Me Howard" legal advice segment on WSVN-Ch. 7.

In his letter to State Attorney Michael Satz, Arreaza wrote that the allegations are based on anonymous information he had received and anonymous comments on a blog focused on Broward County Courthouse issues.

"If the accusation is being made, there is at least the responsibility to check it out," Arreaza said. "I'm going to push this all the way. ... We will get the answers out there. [Finkelstein] is not above the law."

Finkelstein said he has refused to take campaign contributions from any employees other than his office supervisors. He said he has made it clear that there will be no campaigning tolerated in his office - either for him or against him.

"Our clients are deserving of all of our energy and attention, and I will not allow this election to interfere with our constitutional obligation to provide effective assistance of counsel," Finkelstein wrote in a May 6 e-mail to his staff.

Finkelstein said he keeps his work on "Help Me Howard" segments apart from the office. One of his supervisors, Steve Michaelson, has done research for the segment, but Finkelstein says he pays him for it and the work is done in Michaelson's spare time.

The Broward State Attorney's Office acknowledged Thursday it received a complaint about Finkelstein last week.

Finkelstein, 54, had been running uncontested until two challengers, Arreaza and Gary Ostrow, entered the race on the last official day to do so. Finkelstein and Arreaza, 45, will square off in the Aug. 26 Democratic primary, with the winner going up against Republican candidate Gary Ostrow in the general election.

Within a few hours of filing papers to run, Ostrow, 52, was arrested in Tallahassee on a cocaine possession charge.

Ostrow says he's still in the race.

Democratic Chairman Mitch Ceasar said he hadn't heard about Arreaza's letters until Thursday.

"Most of the political activists are very familiar with Howard Finkelstein and not very knowledgeable about his opponent," Ceasar said.